


Advanced Dream Analysis

by gratednutmeg



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Inception Fusion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-10-01 19:07:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17249732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gratednutmeg/pseuds/gratednutmeg
Summary: You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, Greendale. Or, Community Does Inception.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sarkywoman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarkywoman/gifts).



> Rating, tags, and warnings to be updated as chapters are updated. Takes place somewhere around season 3 of Community, and assumes that the events and technology of Inception exists. (No deep knowledge of Inception is necessary to follow the fic) Loveletter to my favorite group of Community College misfits, with a heavy dose of nostalgia for one of my favorite fandoms, Inception.
> 
> (Late) holiday gift for the fabulous @sarkywoman! (With more to come, I sincerely hope) Happy, Happy Christmas and a DELIGHTFUL New Year! *clinkies*

“Dalmatian porn safely away?” Ian Duncan poked his head into the Dean’s office.

It would have had more impact if the Dean hadn’t squeaked and started frantically unplugging his computer.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Duncan took a seat, looking so pleased with himself he was practically glowing. Though that might have been a flush from his 10am glass of pre-anthropology wine. “What would you say if I told you that Greendale Community College could be on the bleeding edge of the latest techniques in treating mental illness. A technique that no one, not even City College, can lay claim to, and won’t be able to for at least another decade.”

“I would say that I’m listening.” Dean Pelton propped his chin on his hand and leaned forward.

“Do you know what _this_  is?” Ian set a heavy silver briefcase, only slightly dented, on the desk, grinning like he was Nondenominational Mr. Winter himself.

“A briefcase? Ooo, is it full of money?”

“It is not. This, my friend, is a PASIV. A Portable Automated Somnacin IntraVenous Device.”

The Dean nodded sagely. “Of course it is.”

“You have no idea what that is, do you.” Ian looked positively gleeful. “It was developed for military applications, but what it allows you to do—” He paused for dramatic effect. “—is to share dreams.”

The Dean failed to look impressed, and Ian wilted a bit. “Honestly, Professor Duncan, if I wanted to do that, I could go online, or text Jeffrey—”

“I’m not talking metaphorically, you wanker.” Ian opened the case, gesturing at the plunger and IV lines. “I mean literally.” He shook a small bottle of golden liquid dramatically. “A vial of this, two or more people connected via the PASIV, and you quite literally are inside one another’s head.”

The Dean’s eyes went wide. “Oh my.” He started to reach for the case.

And nearly got his fingers snapped in the closing lid for his trouble. “Ah-ah-ah,” Ian chided. “My toy, I get to say who uses it. It’s not available outside of government applications at the moment, and no, do not ask me where I got it. But as I would like to be the first person to publish research on its therapeutic applications, I’m graciously allowing your school to be where I perform said research. You allow me to experiment on students, and Greendale Community College will forever be known as the home of world-renowned dream specialist Doctor Ian Duncan.” Ian leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head. “Hardly something City College could say… Unless, of course, you decline my generous offer—”

“No no no!” The Dean was practically making grabby hands at the device, then did his best to sound like a cool mastermind. “I’m sure we can reach some sort of… arrangement.” A pause. “But which students would we be able to convince to try this.”

“Ah. Now I do have some thoughts on that.” Ian was practically simpering. “I only wish to help the most vulnerable — and by that I mean the truly, truly mentally _interesting_ — of your students after all.”

~~~

“Does anyone want to hear what I did on _my_  break?” Pierce asked with a tone he fondly imagined was seductive.

The chorus of “Ew! No!” was interrupted by the Dean sticking his head into Group Study Room F.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Greendale’s favorite study group.” He rested his hand on Jeff’s shoulder, hand trailing down his pectoral. “How would everyone like an advanced Psychology credit?”


	2. Chapter 2

“Ian, no offense, but I don’t trust you with therapy, why the hell would I trust you inside my _actual_ head.”

“Well, Winger, I don’t intend to go in your head, now do I.”

Jeff and Ian glared at each other. The argument had been going on for some time, and while the study group had listened, bemused, as the Dean and Ian outlined what the PASIV was, it had broken down about two seconds after Abed — who, of course, already knew what it was, what dreamsharing was, and looked ready to leap across the table and plug himself in — volunteered-slash-begged to be allowed a chance, at which point, Jeff took one look at the Dean, one at his old drinking buddy, and decided he trusted _neither_.

“The last time you tried to poke around in Abed’s head you were _literally_ using him to write a book on while he was having a nervous breakdown.”

“How do I plug myself in? It’ll be like a real live Dreamatorium. Troy, do you want to do Inspector Spacetime? We could have a real space ship. We could also do Star Wars. And relive paintball. And the Matrix. That might be a little on the nose, but—”

“Abed, stop. No one is plugging into your brain.” Jeff was not so subtly moving between Abed and Ian, who was still holding his shiny silver briefcase.

Even Annie couldn’t hold back a sad noise at the way Abed’s face fell, and Troy’s face crumpled. “You made Abed _sad_ , you monster!” Troy got out of his chair to stand protectively by his friend and glare at Jeff.

“How am _I_ somehow the bad guy in all of this?”

“Please? I really want to.” Abed tilted his head. “Is it because you want a turn first? I didn’t think you’d like all of us in your head.”

“If the lad seems game, Jeffrey, I don’t see who you are to say no.”

Jeff gave Ian a dark look. “Because I know you a lot better than anyone here. Do you even know how to work this thing? What if it leaves Abed a vegetable.”

“Who could tell the difference.” Ian’s volume dropped to a low mutter over the course of the sentence, under Jeff’s combination eyebrow raise and glare. It was surprisingly effective. “Well what do you propose then, Jeffrey.” Ian’s tone went from irritated to dripping with sarcasm. “Offering yourself up as a test subject in his place?” And when Jeff’s mouth fell open, hesitating just slightly, Ian’s eyes gleamed. “It’s for therapeutic purposes, you know. Work out some of those issues.”

“Way to sell it.”

“You could have a real life Platinum Boobs and Billiards club.” Abed’s eyes were bright. “You could make anything you wanted.”

“Including a world where my drunkest friend isn’t trying to mind control me?”

Abed considered this. “We could come under with you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“That’s a terrible idea.” Pierce said it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“It is, but this should be good.” Jeff’s smile went saccharine. “Why do you think it’s a terrible idea, Pierce?”

“I don’t think we should allow the more… impressionable members of the group to see that,” Pierce pointed out. “All of the penises from the gay sex could traumatize Britta.” He reached across the table to pat her hand, which she drew away with a disgusted expression.

“You do realize Britta and I actually _had_ sex.”

“I think that machine is the devil, and we shouldn’t have anything to do with it.” Shirley was shaking her head. “Jeffrey,” voice gone cloying. “Why don’t you explain to Professor Duncan that you’re not interested.”

Abed didn’t say anything, but he started practically vibrating with excitement. Shirley told Jeff not to, that meant they were definitely going to do it.

“Alright, _enough_. I am a grown man and can decide to throw myself on a grenade if I want to. Ian, plug me in.”

“You _do_ realize that was _literally_ what you were telling Abed he couldn’t do.” Britta said it because she had to, not because long experience hadn’t taught her it was futile to try and stop Jeff from doing something stupid.

“And after he proves it’s safe, I get to go next.” Abed was practically bouncing. 

“Winger, are you _seriously_ offering to let me poke around in your unconscious?” Ian looked positively gleeful.

“We’re all coming to make sure you don’t take advantage,” Annie said firmly.

“You mean so you can try to figure out how to mind-control Jeff and steal all his secrets,” Abed pointed out.

“What?!”

Ian glared at Abed. “Nothing, nothing, the lad’s just getting excited, I’m sure.”

“It’s called extraction, and—”

“This is _strictly_ for therapeutic purposes, Nadir. Do you _want_ to come along into Jeff’s mind?”

Abed nodded, biting his lip.

“And you want your turn next?”

Abed practically vibrated.

“Then I suggest you not put any ideas into Jeffrey’s head.”

“ _That’s_ called inception, and it’s supposedly impossible—”

“Enough!”

It took a surprisingly short amount of time, short enough for Jeff not to change his mind, to get the machine set up, IV lines pulled out and a little vial of somnacin loaded into the device.

And while there was a brief moment of tension when the Dean reached for one of the lines —

“ _No_ ,” Jeff said, firmly. And when the Dean went to protest. “You already read my emails to my therapist, you do _not_ get to go inside my head.” The Dean’s face fell, but he sighed and nodded.

Ian, who evidently had more skills than Jeff would have credited him with, fussed with the line and carefully situated the needle against Jeff’s wrist.

“You’re disturbingly good at that. ” Jeff lowered his voice. “You planned it this way, didn’t you.”

“What can I say, it’d be nice to see my handsomest friend—”

“I think you mean only friend.”

“Fix a bit of the mess inside his head.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Ian’s considered shrug of a smile was the last thing Jeff saw before the Dean pushed the activation button on the device with a ‘ta-da!’ and they went under.


End file.
